One Step at a Time
by vedette26
Summary: There are steps that they have to undertake as they fall in love. A series of mostly interrelated one-shots and what-nots and everything in between of the HitsuRuki Variety.
1. Step 1: In which Toushiro is OOC

Well. Happy Birthday, Rukia-chan!

**Title:** One Step at a Time  
><strong>Characters Pairing:** Hitsugaya Toushiro, Kuchiki Rukia; HitsuRuki  
><strong>Rating<strong>: K+ - T  
><strong>Warnings:<strong> OOCness, inconsistencies, language  
><strong>Summary:<strong> There are steps that they have to undertake as they fall in love. A series of mostly interrelated one-shots and what-nots and everything in between of the HitsuRuki Variety.

**Disclaimer:** I am but a poor college student. I own nothing.

Eh, I wanted to post this on Rukia's birthday, (which is tomorrow in my country) but I figured that I won;t have the time to go online once I go back home since I have to study for exams and shit. So yeah.

This is unbeta-ed. Mistakes are mine.

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><p><strong>One Step at a Time<strong>

Step 1  
><em>Hollow<em>

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As always, it all starts with a freak Hollow incident in Karakura Town. Because it was something of an unspoken truth in the Gotei 13 that anything interesting and potentially dangerous always takes place in the spirit-rich soil of Karakura Town.

If it didn't happen in Karakura Town, then it probably wasn't anything of note.

So it begins like this, during an easy stakeout mission in one of the seediest places in Karakura to get a hold of some type of Hollow that preyed on young women. The Hollow, which the 12th Division had lovingly called _Tentacles_ due to the numerous protrusions in its body, had steadily evaded capture from Karakura's resident Substitute Shinigami, Kurosaki Ichigo and 6th Division Vice-Captain Abarai Renji who had been visiting. The two men, enraged and covered in putrid green slime, claimed that the only reason they couldn't catch it was because they were both _so painfully male_. They further claimed that the only way to catch and exterminate the Hollow was to have a nubile young woman act as the bait.

And that is why Kuchiki Rukia was sent to the Human World as the nubile young woman acting as the bait to catch some perverted Hollow called _Tentacles_.

Of course, this arrangement was not without complaints. Kuchiki Byakuya practically stormed the 1st Division and declared that _no, you cannot use my precious darling sister as bait for some filthy Hollow_, to which the Captain Commander replied with a tart_yes, yes, I can, unless of course you're offering to be the nubile young woman in her place, Kuchiki-taichou_. Kurosaki Ichigo and Abarai Renji also had something to say about the matter, fervently claiming that Kuchiki Rukia was not nubile, let alone a woman, and to which the Shinigami in question responded with a well-aimed Hadou #33 that ended with the two males spending a few days in Unohana's care, fearing for their progeny.

And due to some lousily-done paperwork courtesy of Matsumoto, Hitsugaya Toushiro, esteemed Captain of the 10th Division and fabled asexual human ice block, finds himself sipping tasteless, sparkling water in one of the seediest clubs in Karakura Town; waiting for the perverted Hollow called _Tentacles_ to finally show up, all the while keeping a close eye on Kuchiki Rukia.

Kuchiki Rukia, who was currently dressed in one of the skimpiest outfits, Toushiro has ever seen; a little black dress that revealed more skin than it covered and a pair of impossibly high, high heels. Her short hair was adorned in a plethora of hairpins, leaving her neck bare for everyone to see. There was also the slightest splash of make-up on her face, the faintest rouge playing daintily on plump lips, and the softest hint of a blush dusting over alabaster cheeks.

All in all, Kuchiki Rukia looked as if she was just another pretty young thing out for a night in town and not a Shinigami in a gigai lying in wait to lure out some Hollow, which was a good thing because otherwise, this mission would have been all for naught.

"Pretty little thing, isn't she?" A voice from his right comments airily, surprising him and causing him to gag slightly on the sparkling water. Teal eyes regarded the bartender warily, and Toushiro berates himself lightly for not noticing the woman earlier.

"I beg your pardon?"

"That young woman you've been staring at for about an hour or so now, she's quite a looker" The woman continues in a manner that reminded him of Matsumoto, before nodding her head towards the raven-haired Shinigami across the room.

He responds with a non-committal grunt, averting his gaze back to his companion.

Kuchiki Byakuya had hounded him to keep an eye on his precious baby sister, and Toushiro had grudgingly agreed after the older Captain had threatened him with some, _ahem_, incriminating blackmail material. (Toushiro swears that he will destroy those pictures. Someday, he will.) But he has to admit that the 6th Division Captain had cause to worry, because Kuchiki Rukia _was_ a pretty little thing, _very pretty_, his mind supplies further as a tall man, the thirtieth one tonight, approached the petite girl.

The bartender whistles behind him, "Man, that's like, what, the twentieth one tonight?" She comments airily whilst wiping a glass.

"The thirtieth, actually," he finds himself saying.

"You've been watching her for _that_ long now, and you still haven't gone and talked to her?"

"Shouldn't you be serving drinks?"

"Nahhh, it's a slow night tonight so," the bartender counters easily, grinning up at him. "I can go and bother you all night until you go talk to that pretty little girl over there."

The bartender _definitely_ reminded him of Matsumoto.

Toushiro sighs.

"Oho! You better look now, lover boy," the boisterous bartender suddenly exclaims, catching his attention yet again and making him turn his gaze back towards the little Kuchiki. "Looks like the thirtieth one can't take a hint!"

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.

.

Well, someone can't take a hint.

Rukia frowns, feeling decidedly uncomfortable in the horribly short dress that Urahara, _the stinking pervert_, forced her into earlier. The black dress kept riding up her thighs, revealing skin that she most definitely did not want to reveal and inviting wayward stares from unsavoury individuals.

Just like the one who was currently taking up a large chunk of Rukia's personal bubble.

She had to hand it to the guy though.

He was one insistent little fucker.

"So what's your name, darling?"

Oh, he did _not_ just call her _darling._

"What part of _I'm not interested_ did you not understand?" She spits out venomously, lips twisting in a well-practiced sneer. Rukia didn't spend all her time with Byakuya for nothing; she learned some nifty pointers for keeping lowlifes away.

And this one was _definitely_ a lowlife.

It also didn't help that just the man's mere presence made her skin crawl.

The man laughed, his arm circling around her waist in a manner that made the Kuchiki shiver in pure, unadulterated revulsion. "The part that you're not interested, darling, because you obviously _are_." The man purred lasciviously, leaning closer to her and Rukia has trouble resisting the urge to take out Sode no Shirayuki and freeze the bastard's balls off.

Why, oh why did she agree to go on this stupid mission?

"_But Yamamoto-soutaichou, Rukia's not nubile! She's not even a woman!" _

Oh, that's right.

She agreed to go on this stupid mission to prove Ichigo and Renji wrong.

Because damnit all to hell, she was a _woman_!

(Even if there was a time in her distant childhood that Rukia doubted this fact and believed for a while that she was in fact, a boy, and that her penis just hasn't grown yet.

Renji has yet to let her live this moment of confusion down.)

"I'm. Not. Interested." She grinds out through gritted teeth, disentangling herself forcefully from the man's lecherous hold on her. She casually glances towards the bar to look at—

—Hitsugaya Toushiro who wasn't there.

Huh.

Where'd he go?

She briefly scans the bar area for any signs of the white-haired Captain only to succeed in catching the eye of the voluptuous bartender who smiled and waved at her amiably.

Huh.

Well that was weird.

But seriously though, where was the Captain?

Wait.

What if he had to take a bathroom break or something?

...

Yeah right.

Captains didn't take bathroom breaks because bathroom breaks were for sissies and Captains obviously had bladders of steel.

Heh.

Bladders of steel.

Honestly, she cracks herself up sometimes.

"Whatcha looking over there for, sweetheart?"

The bastard was really getting on Rukia's nerves, that much was certain and she sneakily angles her arm a few centimetres, preparing to elbow the man on the stomach if need be. And the need to do just that steadily rose as the man, the sick excuse of a human being, attempted to place his grimy paws on her again.

_I swear on Nii-sama'shonor that if one hair from that sick bastard touches me again, I will gut him with a spoon._ She thinks viciously, remaining blissfully ignorant of the new, imposing presence behind her.

Until of course someone grabs her from behind, a tanned hand gripping her elbow firmly, making her stumble awkwardly backward before slamming into someone's chest.

_Who the fuck?_

"Rukia," raising a thin eyebrow, she craned her head to look at the stranger who had grabbed her and her eyes widen when she glimpses the slightest hint of snow white hair and a pair of striking teal eyes.

Hitsugaya Toushiro.

Huh. So that's where he went.

But then she finds her eyebrows knitting together in confusion because Hitsugaya Toushiro just called her by her given name and it was something that was so out of character for the stiff Captain.

"Tai—"

"What gives, shorty? I was talking to her!" The man that had been haranguing her earlier yells out angrily. The muscles in Rukia's neck strains painfully as she leans back to find out what kind of expression was present on the young Captain's face. She sighs, what he must think of her now after this unprecedented fumble? She can't even do her job as bait correctly.

The hand on her elbow shifts to her waist and the slightest of blushes dusts over her cheeks _and whoa, whoa, whoa, what is he doing spinning her around like that?_ And then Rukia finds herself pressed close against the white-haired Captain's chest, looking up at the white-haired male as he regarded her harasser disdainfully.

"She's with me." Hitsugaya says imperiously, a haughty look on his admittedly handsome face. His admittedly handsome face that was inching closer and closer towards her until her eyelashes brush against his cheeks. "Rukia," he breathes out, her name sounding so deliciously foreign on his lips. She looks up at him through thick eyelashes and catches his penetrating gaze before everything becomes fuzzy and out of focus because Hitsugaya Toushiro was kissing her.

Hitsugaya Toushiro, mighty Captain of the 10th Division and rumoured asexual human ice block, was kissing her and Rukia's brain breaks just a little bit.

There is a firm hand on her back and another on her hip, but she can't honestly be bothered as to where the Captain's hands were seeing as she was much more preoccupied with the man's lips and tongue.

And oh_, oh my_—

What was the Captain doing? She's pretty sure that this wasn't part of the mission…

Not that she's complaining of course.

.

.

.

What was he doing?

_What am I doing? _

He had acted completely on pure, unprecedented impulse.

_Oh god, Kuchiki Byakuya is going to kill me_. He thinks belatedly as he watches the man that had been haranguing Kuchiki Rukia leave in disgust. _After his sister kills me first_, he mentally adds as he steals a look down at the raven-haired Shinigami who he had just…kissed.

"Taichou?" Wide violet eyes stare up at him in question and Toushiro feels the horrible urge to lean down and press his lips against hers again. He was just about to do just that when a sickening reiatsu penetrates his senses.

"It's here," he says, his tone authoritative and sharp, not giving any clue to the foolish twittering inside his chest. "Kuchiki," he addresses her before swallowing down the gikongan. "Secure the area, the 12th Division should have already erected a barrier for this region but call them just in case."

"Yes, sir!"

"And secure the gigais while you're at it. Keep to the side-lines. Your job in this mission is already done. Understood?"

"Yes, sir."

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It takes approximately twenty-three minutes and twenty-six seconds for Hitsugaya Toushiro to apprehend Tentacles. It also takes him a ripped Captain's haori, but clothes were trivial even if he expects a nice, long lecture from the Captain Commander about the importance of the Captain's haori, the Gotei 13's pride and all that shebang.

But he really wasn't thinking about that right now.

Rather, he was thinking about how the fighting did nothing to diminish the tingling in his lips and the immense desire to grab Kuchiki Rukia and kiss her again. And that desire was annoyingly strong too, seeing as the petite girl was a hairsbreadth away from him as she healed the minute wounds he received earlier, and really, it would be so painfully easy to kiss her again in this position, just a slight tilt of the head and—

"Hitsugaya-taichou?" Her voice breaks through his reverie, shaking him out of whatever lucid daydream his mind had been crafting. "I'm done," she says, motioning to his newly healed arm. He nods imperceptibly in thanks, feeling her reiatsu in the air between them, making him feel giddy and lightheaded and a couple of other thing he probably shouldn't be feeling right now.

There was something very, very wrong with him. He decides as he enters his gigai, teal eyes drifting towards Kuchiiki Rukia who was doing the same thing with hers.

"Kuchiki, you're staying at Kurosaki's right?"

"Um, yes?"

"I'll accompany you there."

"Ah, no!" She exclaims hurriedly, a pinched look alighting on her face. "I mean, you don't have to do that, Hitsugaya-taichou. I can walk there by myself." She adds the last line haughtily, with a frown on her lips and her arms crossed over her chest. He'd hit a nerve.

Toushiro levels her with an unimpressed stare in his gigai, _women honestly_. "As much as I trust your abilities as a Shinigami, and believe me Kuchiki, I do, that doesn't change the fact that you're a woman and it would be deplorable of me to let a young woman walk by herself alone in the middle of the night."

"Oh. Um, well, I guess that's alright." The raven-haired Shinigami replies lamely, letting her arms fall to the sides in something like defeat. Hitsugaya's short declaration had pacified her indignant tirade about feminism and whatnot.

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"I guess this is good night, taichou."

He hums softly in reply, and as he was feeling horribly out of character and lightheaded, he leaned down close and brushed his lips against hers ever so softly, a far cry from what he had done earlier in the club.

"I'll see you tomorrow at Urahara's; we'll leave immediately for Soul Society."

"Y-Yes, sir!"

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><p><strong>AN:** This became longer than what I had originally intended. I wanted to stop at a thousand words but then I started getting more ideas and then this just happened.

And then I half-assed the ending because I ran out of things to write.

As previously stated, this will be a series of mostly interrelated one shots and pretty much whatever I feel like writing.

Comments? Suggestion? Violent reactions? Please tell me all about it and review!


	2. interlude: what they saw

Hola! I bring a mini update of sorts because it's Rukiruki's birthday! This one doesn't really act as an actual chapter, since I intended it to be an omake of sorts for the first one. Also, I would like to say now that the length of the chapters in this fic would be rather inconsistent...some of the chapters would be long (like the first one) and some would be like this one; this is pretty much because of the fact that I just write about whatever strikes my fancy.

**Warnings:** None really, insanity, randomness  
><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> I own nothing.

Unbeta-ed. But I try very hard to check any mistakes, so if there are, please inform me.

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><p><strong>[interlude]<strong>

_what they saw_

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Karakura Town

_12:10 Midnight_

In the silence of night, two figures sat still behind the front door of the Kurosaki Household. Their eyes impossibly wide and unseeing in the darkness, shock clearly written on their faces as they tried in vain to process what they just bore witness to.

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_12:12 Midnight_

Two full minutes ticked by on the large wall clock mounted on the living room wall, and the larger of the two figures turned to its smaller companion.

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_12:13 Midnight_

"Yuzu-chan, Yuzu-chan, did you see what Daddy just saw?"

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_12: 14 Midnight_

Yuzu nods.

Frantically.

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**[end interlude]**

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><p><strong>AN:** So this is some random crap I came up with last night. I thought, what if someone saw them?, and then this came into fruition. It happened to be Yuzu and Isshin because I love them.

Comments? Suggestions? Violent reactions? Please tell me about it.

Updates will depend on reviews. No reviews. No updates.


	3. Step 2: In which everyone notices

Eh. I planned to update this on the 26th, but I suddenly had exams scheduled for this week so I decided to post this chapter now. I hope you all enjoy.

Important note, although the chapters in here will be, of course, arranged chronologically, there are some small timeskips in between them. Mainly because of the fact that I don't really want to go the specifics and the fact that I'll only be writing the important moments or "steps" so to speak.

**Title:** One Step at a Time  
><strong>Characters Pairing:** Hitsugaya Toushiro, Kuchiki Rukia; HitsuRuki  
><strong>Rating<strong>: K+ - T  
><strong>Warnings:<strong> OOCness, inconsistencies, language  
><strong>Summary:<strong> There are steps that they have to undertake as they fall in love. A series of mostly interrelated one-shots and what-nots and everything in between of the HitsuRuki Variety.

**Disclaimer:** I am but a poor college student. I own nothing.

Unbeta-ed. Mistakes are mine.

* * *

><p><strong>One Step at a Time<strong>

Step 2  
><em>Distracted<em>

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It is Hyourinmaru who notices it first, feels the fluctuations in his master's reiatsu, senses the maddening flutters in his heart. And the Dragon wonders if he should tell him, but decides against it. His master was a smart boy; he has to figure it out by himself. But his master was also quite thick, so it was left to him to leave some hints.

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There is a long gash on his cheek and Toushiro's eyes widen as blood seeped out from the wound, teal eyes mirroring the shock he was feeling.

"You are distracted," the Dragon says and Toushiro flushes red in embarrassment. "What is troubling you?"

The white-haired Captain sighs, the blush never quite leaving his face, "it's nothing…just some things."

"Like Kuchiki Rukia, perhaps?" Hyourinmaru suggests innocently before disappearing in a whirl of ice, leaving his master wide-eyed and blushing. "I suggest you deal with those _things_ first before you call on me again."

"Hyourinmaru?"

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It is Matsumoto who notices it next, observes the growing pile of unfinished paperwork on her Captain's desk, and notes the absent look on his face. And she wonders if she should tell him, but decides against it. Her Captain was a smart boy; he has to figure it out by himself. But of course, a little meddling wouldn't hurt.

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It was almost too cute, Matsumoto decides as she silently watched her Captain from the doorway. Who would have thought that her Captain, the mighty Hitsugaya Toushiro, asexual human ice block, would someday be acting like a silly, love-struck fool?

Well, certainly not Matsumoto, having been one of the purveyors of the rumor that Hitsugaya Toushiro was an asexual human ice block.

Now, where did she put her camera?

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It is Hinamori who notices it last, witnesses the small changes in her friend's behavior, notes the lingering looks he gives a certain Shinigami. And she wonders if she should tell him, but decides against it. Her friend was a smart boy; he has to figure it out by himself. But then again, a little push wouldn't hurt.

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"Ah," Hinamori exclaims one day while visiting the 10th Division. "Rukia-san is quite pretty. Don't you think, Shiro-chan?" She asks airily, a knowing smile playing on her lips as she recalled the deer-in-the-headlights look that the small Captain wore earlier when the raven-haired girl happened to pass by.

"Yeah…" Toushiro replies distractedly, a faraway look plastered on his face, and Hinamori has trouble stifling a giggle.

Oh, this was simply too adorable!

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><p>AN: Um. I won't be updating for a long while because I have a barrage of exams to face this week and the next and the next one after that as well. I'm dreadfully sorry for this but education comes first.

Comments? Suggestions? Violent reactions?

Please leave me a review, I would like to hear about what you though of my writing.


	4. Step 3: In which they notice as well

Okay, so I'm taking a short break from all the studying (read: procrastinating) because I just finished reading my Zoology handbook and my head is swimming with terms like zwischenscheiben and tunica intima.

And pretty much because I love you guys and your reviews made me feel happy and warm inside. This is just Rukia's version of that last chapter because I thought that it would be cute and stuff.

**Title:** One Step at a Time  
><strong>Characters Pairing:** Rukia Kuchiki, Ukitake Jyuushiro, Shirayuki, Byakuya Kuchiki; HitsuRuki  
><strong>Rating<strong>: K+ - T  
><strong>Warnings:<strong> OOCness, inconsistencies, language  
><strong>Summary:<strong> There are steps that they have to undertake as they fall in love. A series of mostly interrelated one-shots and what-nots and everything in between of the HitsuRuki Variety.

**Disclaimer:** I am but a poor college student. I own nothing.

Unbeta-ed. Mistakes are mine.

* * *

><p><strong>One Step at a Time<strong>

Step 3  
><em>Dazed<em>

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It is Shirayuki who notices it first, feels the racing of her mistress' heartbeat, sees the torrid blush gracing her cheeks. And the Butterfly wonders if she should tell her, but decides against it. Her mistress was a smart girl; she'll figure it out eventually. But until then, she'll enjoy making her squirm.

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Ragged breaths and choked pants broke through the silence, sweat dripping down from the sides of Rukia's face as she struggled to regain her breath.

The Butterfly purses her lips, "You're more scatterbrained than usual, Rukia."

"That," Rukia says with a gasp, frowning up at her zanpakutou. "That wasn't very nice, Shirayuki."

"I beg your forgiveness, but I would appreciate it if you refrain from daydreaming about Hitsugaya Toushiro when we are training."

A furious blush spreads on the violet-eyed Shinigami's face. "I was not daydreaming!"

"Then, you were fantasizing about him?" Shirayuki asks impertinently, all hooded eyes and teasing smiles.

"SHIRAYUKI!"

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It is Ukitake who notices it next, notes the sloppily-done reports on her desk, and perceives the lingering smiles his Vice-Captain reserves for a certain prodigy. And he wonders if he should tell her, but decides against it. His Vice-Captain was a smart girl; she'll figure it out eventually. But he does call on Shunsui to gush at how adorable it all was, and _oh my, my, my, I wonder how Byakuya-bo will react?_

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It was almost too adorable for words, Ukitake decides as he watched his Vice-Captain through the wide window of his office. He never thought that he would live to see the day Kuchiki Rukia would be skipping her duties to daydream, of all things. The girl was ultimately too strict with herself and it brought a smile to his face to see her so relaxed.

Love did strange things to people, it seems.

Oh!

"Kiyone, can you fetch the camera please?"

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It is Byakuya who notices it last, senses the fluctuations in her reiatsu, witnesses his sister's lessened appetite. And he wonders if he should tell her, but decides against it. His sister was a smart girl; she'll figure it out eventually. But he consults Hisana nonetheless and hopes that _eventually_ isn't too soon.

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"You're not going to stay for dessert?" Byakuya finds himself asking as Rukia meekly excuses herself.

Rukia bites her lower lip, gaze never leaving the floor. "Oh, um, I don't feel like eating sweets today. I'm sorry, Nii-sama."

And then the 28th Head of the Kuchiki Clan just blinks because Rukia has never been one to turn down the chance to eat sweets.

This may be worse than he had previously feared.

Perhaps it was time to call in some _reinforcements_.

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><p>AN: Okay. So I_ really_ won't be updating for a while after this, I just found out that my Plant Anatomy exam got moved to this Saturday and I should be freaking out but I'm not. Anyway, I would be on hiatus (for real this time!) for a while, so please bear with me. Thank you.

I hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it.

Comments? Suggestions? Violent reactions?

Please leave me a review. It would make me update faster and motivate me to write more for this.


	5. interlude: the reinforcements

Taking a short break from studying!

I bring another mini-update of sorts, this time featuring Byakuya-nii's so-called reinforcements from the last chapter. Personally, I have no idea as to what inspired me to start this interlude thing, but then I started writing it and the idea had been too funny (at least it was in my head) to pass up.

I will sadly not be updating for the next few weeks, due to of course, school and because the plot bunnies for the Bleach fandom had been dwindling out. I'm afraid Kubo's three week hiatus has take its toll on my muse. Also, I am working for other projects in other fandoms so please bear with me.

**Title:** One Step at a Time  
><strong>Characters Pairing:** Hitsugaya Toushiro, Kuchiki Rukia; HitsuRuki  
><strong>Rating<strong>: K+ - T  
><strong>Warnings:<strong> OOCness, inconsistencies, language  
><strong>Summary:<strong> There are steps that they have to undertake as they fall in love. A series of mostly interrelated one-shots and what-nots and everything in between of the HitsuRuki Variety.

**Disclaimer:** I am but a poor college student. I own nothing.

This is unbeta-ed. Mistakes are mine.

* * *

><p><strong>[interlude]<strong>

_the reinforcements_

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.

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R E T R I E V I N G M E S S A G E S : _

_Conversations between Kurosaki Ichigo and Abarai Renji, dated January 6, 20XX._

_Messages sent from 07:00 PM to 07:45 PM._

. . .

Abarai: OI ICHIGO WE HAVE A PROBLEM

Kurosaki: What the hell, Renji?

Abarai: RUKIA'S IN LOVE

Kurosaki: What?

Abarai: RUKIA'S FREAKING IN LOVE!

Kurosaki: Who the hell is the midget in love with?

Abarai: THE HELL WOULD I KNOW KUCHIKI-TAICHOU WON'T TELL ME ANYTHING ELSE

Kurosaki: WHAT? Damnit! Byakuya's keeping the bastard all to himself! That selfish prick…

. . .

R E T R I E V I N G M E S S A G E S : _

_Conversations between Kurosaki Ichigo and Abarai Renji, dated January 6, 20XX._

_Messages sent from 08:19 PM to 10:23 PM._

. . .

Abarai: So…it isn't you, right?

Kurosaki: Fuck no. And it obviously isn't you either.

Abarai: I KNOW THAT

Kurosaki: Then stop asking obvious questions, dumbass

Abarai: Well, who do you think it is?

Kurosaki: The hell would I know? Shouldn't you know more about her…preferences?

Abarai: Like hell I would.

Abarai: But I dunno. Someone like Ishida? Probably.

Kurosaki: …someone like Ishida?

Kurosaki: What about just Ishida himself?

Abarai: Are you fucking kidding me?

Abarai: He's a Quincy!

Abarai: And I'm pretty sure that it's someone from Soul Society

Kurosaki: You have a point there. The midget hasn't visited for a long while now.

Kurosaki: But damn. Someone like Ishida huh?

Kurosaki: Well that crosses out almost everyone in Soul Society.

Abarai: Hey!

Kurosaki: Oh wait. What about that guy. Shuuhei-san?

Abarai: Hisagi? Probably not. Rukia doesn't like tattoos.

Kurosaki: Huh. So that explains why it isn't you.

Abarai: Shaddup.

Abarai: Ah, I know. Yumichika.

Kurosaki: Yumichika? But isn't he…

Abarai: Isn't he what?

Kurosaki: Gay.

Abarai: How the hell do you even

Kurosaki: Then he isn't?

Abarai: Obviously. He's like..metro—something

Kurosaki: Metrosexual?

Abarai: Yeah that

Kurosaki: Oh. Alright.

Kurosaki: I don't think it's him either.

Kurosaki: I remember Rukia saying that he's too pretty.

Abarai: What the hell

Kurosaki: Hey, do you think it's Hanatarou?

Abarai: Hanatarou?

Kurosaki: Hanatarou.

Abarai: Seriously?

Kurosaki: Good point. Rukia will most likely beat him up or something. That little bitch.

Kurosaki: What if it's a Captain?

Abarai: You serious?

Kurosaki: What?

Abarai: I don't know if you've noticed.

Abarai: But the Captains are old.

Abarai: Older than dirt.

Abarai: A several hundred years older than me and Rukia.

Kurosaki: …how old _are_ you guys?

Abarai: Oh wait. There_ is_ someone around Rukia's age…

Kurosaki: Who?

Abarai: Hitsugaya-taichou's around Rukia's age, I think.

Kurosaki: Toushiro, huh.

Kurosaki: Well they are of the same height.

Kurosaki: And they went on that mission together…which reminds me…

Abarai: Reminds you of what?

Abarai: Oi Ichigo.

Abarai: OI

Abarai: THE FUCK

Abarai: GODDAMNIT YOU BASTARD

. . .

R E T R I E V I N G M E S S A G E S : _

_Conversations between Kurosaki Ichigo and Abarai Renji, dated January 6, 20XX._

_Messages sent from 11:00 PM to 11:36 PM._

. . .

Kurosaki: HOLY SHIT RENJI

Abarai: Oh so you're replying now huh?

Kurosaki: IT IS TOUSHIRO

Kurosaki: Wait. What's that supposed to mean?

Abarai: What do you mean it _is_ Hitsugaya-taichou?

Kurosaki: I asked my little sister.

Kurosaki: And my dad.

Kurosaki: But mostly my little sister.

Kurosaki: So apparently, Toushiro walked Rukia to my house after that mission with Tentacles

Kurosaki: And my dad and little sister were creeping around the living room by that time

Kurosaki: And that

Abarai: Is there a point to all this?

Kurosaki: YES. Now let me finish.

Kurosaki: They say that Toushiro kissed the midget.

Abarai: What.

Abarai: WHAT.

Abarai: WHAT?

Abarai: HE DID WHAT?

Kurosaki: So yeah. I'm coming over to the Soul Society this weekend. Already talked to Urahara and shit.

Abarai: We're gonna kill the little fucker?

Kurosaki: Hell yes

Kurosaki: But we're pinning the blame on Byakuya.

Abarai: Sounds like a plan.

. . .

E N D O F M E S S A G E S

.

.

.

**[end interlude]**

* * *

><p>AN: Because the mental image of Renji and Ichigo texting each other furiously like a bunch of teen-aged girls was just too precious.

Will they succeed in their dastardly plan to rid the world of Hitsugaya Toushiro? Or will Byakuya beat them to it? Or more importantly, will the fangirls let them succeed in disposing of everyone's favorite human ice block?

Comments? Suggestion? Violent reactions?

Please leave a review!

(Reviews strengthen my muse and help me churn out another chapter where Toushiro will hopefully not be maimed by Ichigo and Renji. *wiggles eyebrows*)


	6. Step 4: In which Rukia saves a rabbit

Happy Singles Awareness Day!

I'm so so sorry for the rather late update, but school comes first and I sorta ran out of muses for Bleach during Kubo-sensei's three week hiatus. But anyway! I'm back again and meh, I'm not so happy with this chapter, but I still hope that you guys'll enjoy it.

**Title:** One Step at a Time  
><strong>Characters Pairing:** Hitsugaya Toushiro, Kuchiki Rukia; HitsuRuki  
><strong>Rating<strong>: K+ - T  
><strong>Warnings:<strong> OOCness, inconsistencies, language  
><strong>Summary:<strong> There are steps that they have to undertake as they fall in love. A series of mostly interrelated one-shots and what-nots and everything in between of the HitsuRuki Variety.

**Disclaimer:** I am but a poor college student. I own nothing.

* * *

><p><strong>One Step at a Time<strong>

Step 4

_Feel_

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.

.

"Take your clothes off, Kuchiki."

HItsugaya Toushiro tells her seriously with all the level-headedness the Captain was known for and Rukia blinks stupidly at him in reply. Because _what the hell_ was she supposed to say to _that_? It wasn't every day that Hitsugaya Toushiro, mighty Captain of the 10th Division and fabled asexual human ice block, asks anyone to strip for him, let alone her, and the raven-haired Shinigami thinks that she deserves the right to be scandalously baffled. Not to mention the fact that her brain just short-circuited after the man's statement and took an untimely dive into the gutter never to be seen again.

"What?" Rukai chokes out eloquently in an attempt at an intelligible response, turning her widened eyes towards the white-haired Captain as she unconsciously clutched at her shihakusho protectively.

Hitsugaya sighs loudly before sitting on his haunches in front of her. "Kuchiki, just…please take your clothes off. The top part would do." He says with the patience one might afford a naughty child and Rukia feels just a tad bit insulted.

"Why?" She asks gratingly, leaning away from Hitsugaya even as her bloodied back protested, causing her to keen lowly in pain, and in turn making her companion afford her with a very pointed stare with his striking teal eyes. And Rukia realizes that this is probably not the time to admire Hitsugaya Toushiro's pretty, pretty eyes and his annoyingly long eyelashes and—

Okay. She's shutting up right now.

"Because, Kuchiki," Hitsugaya starts long-sufferingly, sitting down on the patch of grass a scant centimetres away from her. "You're injured and I need to see how bad your wounds are."

She sniffs derisively. "Why can't we just wait for the 4th Division?" And alright, Rukia knows full well that she's acting like a complete brat right now, but she really doesn't want to undress in front of Hitsugaya Toushiro and his pretty, pretty eyes. She's read enough of the manga Ichigo kept underneath his bed to know where this was headed. Girl gets injured, guy tries to heal the girl, girl undresses, and uh—she forgot what was supposed to happen next but she knows that it doesn't really end well for the girl.

Or was it the guy?

Never mind, she'll just have to ask Ichigo the next time she sees him.

But anyway, she was _not_ taking her clothes off.

"They won't be arriving 'til later."

"I can wait."

"You're losing blood at a very alarming rate."

"I feel fine, sir." Rukia declares, even as she feels horribly faint from all the blood loss. In retrospect, she probably shouldn't have jumped in front of the Hollow earlier to save the rabbit.

"Kuchiki," he warns, his tone taking on a steely edge and his eyebrows furrowing in sheer annoyance at her sorry attempts at stalling.

She knows that she should probably stop annoying the Captain seeing as he was only looking out for her well-being, but Rukia lives to be difficult and Hitsugaya Toushiro was proving to be very fun to annoy. "With all due respect, sir, I don't know what you've heard but I'm not the type of girl who undresses on the first date." Rukia says jokingly, teasingly, despite the sudden hammering of her silly heart.

He blinks at her incredulously.

"Kuchiki, if you do not undress right this instant, I will undress you myself."

"You wouldn't."

"I can and I will. Now strip." Hitsugaya mandates.

A huff, a glare, and Rukia finally concedes. "Fine," she grinds out through gritted teeth before making a vague shooing motion at the Captain. "Can you please move away for a moment, sir? I can't exactly undress if you're watching."

Teal eyes widen as a blush makes itself known on Hitsugaya's face and Rukia watches in slight fascination as the white-haired prodigy hastily moves away from her as if burnt. "Ah, right." He pointedly stands up and turns his back to her, taking a few steps forward; far enough to give her some semblance of privacy but close enough to reach her quickly lest something bad happens. "Call me when you're done."

As soon as she was sure that the man was at a suitable distance away from her (she trusts the Captain not to peek), Rukia gingerly shrugs off her shihakusho, wincing every so often when the torn fabric grazed the wounds on her back. The back part of her uniform was practically in tatters and she dreads to find out as to how her back even looked like. The Hollow that they encountered earlier had insanely large claws, and if the searing pain Rukia is experiencing right now was of any indication, then she was pretty sure that her back was a bloody mess.

The raven-haired Vice-Captain takes a deep, calming breath before surveying her torso; there was a smattering of bruises scattered on her arms and it seemed that the large cut on her back had extended to her front, curling just beneath the swell of her breasts and effectively tearing at the bindings she'd painstakingly wrapped around herself earlier.

Rukia sighs. She _really_ shouldn't have saved that rabbit earlier.

But what's done was done and she was irrevocably stuck at some random patch of forest in the Rukon District, half-naked with a large cut on her back, with Hitsugaya Toushiro standing just a few feet away from her.

_My, you two are moving fast aren't you? First, he kisses you, and now he has you undressing for him! _Shirayuki exclaims somewhere in the back of her mind, and Rukia studiously ignores her zanpakutou for the sake of her sanity, which was admittedly rather hard when Shirayuki doesn't want to be ignored. _Oho, ignoring me aren't we? How mean, and here I was concerned for your well-being…_

_**Shirayuki?**_

_Yes, Rukia?_

_**Shut up. **_

_Hmph, spoilsport. _

Rolling her eyes derisively at Shirayuki's antics, Rukia gathered the torn material of her uniform in her hands and draped it over her front in a sorry attempt to salvage whatever shred of dignity she still has. "Sir? I'm done." She calls out, and immediately regretted it as the Captain strode purposefully towards her as soon as the words left her mouth.

"Relax," Hitsugaya tells her softly as he positions himself behind her, his proximity inciting a plethora of goose pimples to erupt on her exposed skin. She almost jumps up when she feels cold hands touch themselves experimentally on her bloodied back, and Rukia forces herself to relax and breathe out through her nose to calm down. There was no use getting all worked up. Slowly, the Captain's cool reiatsu start melding on her skin, acting as a form anaesthetic as Hitsugaya performed kidou to close her wounds. "Why on earth did you jump in front of that Hollow earlier, Kuchiki?" The Captain wonders aloud behind her, and violet eyes widen slightly in surprise.

Was the Captain actually trying to start a conversation with her?

Huh.

If a large gash on her back was what it would take for The Captain to talk to her, then Rukia worries for her well-being as to what it would take for Hitsugaya Toushiro to kiss her again.

"Well…" she starts cautiously, worrying her bottom lip between her teeth. "There was this…um…rabbit. And I wanted to save it." Rukia mumbles out quickly, realizing how stupid her reason sounded.

Hitsugaya hums thoughtfully in response. "A rabbit."

"Yes, sir."

The white-haired male's calloused hands settled softly on her shoulders, applying enough pressure for it to be slightly uncomfortable. "You jumped in front of a Hollow to save a rabbit." He deadpans, and Rukia can almost see the incredulous look etched on his face.

"Yes."

A short silence follows her answer, and suddenly a weird noise that sounded suspiciously like a short laugh came from the stoic Captain. "You're a weird one, Kuchiki."

"That wasn't a very nice thing to say, taichou."

Hitsugaya Toushiro snorts. "Good, I wasn't trying to be nice," he says, fingers smoothing over the newly healed flesh on her back before stopping to tap thoughtfully on the indentions of her vertebrae. "Turn around a little, Kuchiki; the gash extends a bit to your torso."

She stiffens, knowing fully well where that gash extends to. Sure, Rukia was alright with showing the Captain her bloodied back, but she was definitely not okay with Hitsugaya Toushiro ogling at her front where he can see her non-existent assets. (Yes, she's full aware that she's not gifted in the chest department and she does not need for Ichigo and Renji to remind her every fucking time.) "That really won't be necessary—"

"I'm not going to look at anything else other than the gash, Kuchiki. I give you my word for that."

"But—"

"I'm giving you my permission to run me through with your sword if you think that I'm peeking."

A single black eyebrow rises in consideration, and a few seconds ticked by. The raven-haired Shinigami, obviously pacified by the possibility of maiming a Captain finally, finally utters a hurried, "alright."

.

.

.

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.

.

"Welcome back, taichou!" Matsumoto greets cheerily from her position on the couch and Toushiro scrunches up his nose at the hint of sake lingering in the air. "Oh hey, where's your Captain's haori?" the voluptuous woman inquires, causing a blush to erupt on his face.

Toushiro merely shrugs.

.

.

.

* * *

><p>AN: This was supposed to be a bit longer but then I felt as if it was beginning to be a little tedious. IDK. I'm sorry if it sucks! I'll make it up to you guys. Somehow.

Anyway.

Comments? Suggestions? Violent Reactions?

Leave me a review, guys!


	7. interlude: welcome back?

Hoho. A random shoutout to_ lazyguy90_ whose review prompted me to write this interlude.

I already have the next chapter done, and will probably post it by next week or something. Depends on how much schoolwork I still have to do.

**Title:** One Step at a Time  
><strong>Characters Pairing:** Hitsugaya Toushiro, Kuchiki Rukia; HitsuRuki  
><strong>Rating<strong>: K+ - T  
><strong>Warnings:<strong> OOCness, inconsistencies, language  
><strong>Summary:<strong> There are steps that they have to undertake as they fall in love. A series of mostly interrelated one-shots and what-nots and everything in between of the HitsuRuki Variety.

**Disclaimer:** I am but a poor college student. I own nothing.

* * *

><p><strong>[interlude]<strong>

_welcome back_

.

.

.

"Welcome back, Kuchiki-fuku—!"

"Excuse me! Sorry! Make some way please!" Rukia blurts out, clutching protectively at the Captain's haori that Hitsugaya Toushiro had forced on her earlier as she shunpoed to the 13th Division Barracks. She did not want to explain to everyone why she was wearing the 10th Division Captain's haori and virtually nothing else on top.

The last thing she needs was a scandal regarding her and the Captain.

"Oh heya, Ruki—"

"Sorry, Kiyone-san! I can't talk right now!" She yells out hurriedly, slamming the door to her room with a loud bang.

Kiyone frowns, effectively confused. "Okay?"

.

.

.

"Was that Rukia, Kiyone?" Ukitake Jyuushiro asks as soon as his subordinate came into view, wearing a confused expression on her face.

"Yes, sir, but—"

"But what?"

"I think she was wearing a Captain's haori or something…"

"Oh?"

"Yeah, she was hurrying back to her room, so I guess—Hey, wait a minute, wasn't she on a mission with Hitsugaya-taichou—Oh." The blonde third seat tilts her head thoughtfully to the side. Where the hell was Sentarou when she needed his stupid comments?

"Kiyone?" Ukitake quips, a smile fixed on his face.

"Sir?"

The 13th Division Captain made a zipping gesture over his mouth. "I think Rukia'll appreciate it if no word comes out of this."

"Yessir!" Kiyone salutes and briskly makes her way out of the Captain's office, determined to threaten anyone who happened to see her Vice-Captain in her disheveled state.

She hopes that Hitsugaya Toushiro knows who he was dealing with, because Kuchiki Byakuya would be the least of his problems if he made Kuchiki Rukia cry.

If anything else, the 13th Division protected their own.

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.

* * *

><p>AN: Random interlude is rather random. Haha.

Comments? Suggestions? Violent reactions?

Please leave a review.


	8. Step 5: In which there is tea

So we're finally having some sort of development in this! Huzzah!

**Title:** One Step at a Time  
><strong>Characters Pairing:** Hitsugaya Toushiro, Kuchiki Rukia; HitsuRuki  
><strong>Rating<strong>: K+ - T  
><strong>Warnings:<strong> OOCness, inconsistencies, language  
><strong>Summary:<strong> There are steps that they have to undertake as they fall in love. A series of mostly interrelated one-shots and what-nots and everything in between of the HitsuRuki Variety.

**Disclaimer:** I am but a poor college student. I own nothing.

* * *

><p><strong>One Step at a Time<strong>

Step 5  
><em>Friendship<em>

.

.

.

"Your report is…lacking, Kuchiki." Hitsugaya Toushiro tells her over tea one day, and Rukia resists the tempting urge to throw the contents of her teacup right at his face because she slaved over that report last night!

Somewhere along the line, Kuchiki Rukia ends up doing paperwork for the 10th Division every Wednesday afternoons in Matsumoto's stead, and Hitsugaya Toushiro doesn't mind it one bit. He claims that he lets it be because the girl made great tea, but then again, the rest of Seireitei knows that his intentions are less than pure.

"Lacking?" Rukia deadpans, sending the man a frown over the rim of her teacup.

"Your report sucks."

Slamming her teacup none-too-gently on the table, the raven-haired Vice-Captain affords the Toushiro a dirty look. "Well, sorry, Hitsugaya-taichou, not everyone can be as great and awesome as you." She declares mockingly, rolling her eyes rather excessively.

Teal eyes roll in incredulity and Toushiro steeples his fingers, leaning his elbows on his table. "That's true," he says, an annoyingly smug grin spread upon his lips. "I am rather amazing. But seriously though, you need to rewrite this, Kuchiki."

Rukia mumbles something under her breath even as she deftly reached for her inkpot; arguing with the annoying Captain would only bring about a long lesson about how she was undermining authority and whatnot.

Authority, her ass.

"What was that, Kuchiki?" The white-haired male asks, a single eyebrow rising in interest at her unintelligible mumbles.

"I said," she starts gratingly, a pretty blush gracing her cheeks "that you can just call me Rukia, taichou."

A blink. A pause. And Hitsugaya Toushiro feels as if his hearts is about to jump off his chest.

_I'm assuming this is what you wanted to happen seeing as you've not stopped with addressing her by 'Kuchiki'? _Hyourinmaru pipes up, sounding awfully unimpressed somewhere in the back of his mind.

_**And so what if it was? **_

The Dragon stops for a moment, before letting out a long-suffering sigh. _No, no, nothing, continue with whatever it is you're trying to accomplish in whatever manner you wish._

_**Are you…are you trying to give me…advice?**_

_Perhaps. _

"If that's the case then I'll have to ask you to do the same."

Rukia blinks and Toushiro can't help but think that she looks absolutely adorable when she does that. "What."

"If you want me to call you by your given name, then you'll have to do the same." He explains slowly, as if talking to a small child.

"But you're a Captain! I can't—"

"If you want," Toushiro pipes up thoughtfully. "You may call me Toushiro-sama." He says with a shit-eating smirk, leaning back on his chair with an air of superiority.

"Pfft," the petite Shinigami splutters out, before laughing outright, doubling over on the couch she was sitting on. "'Toushiro-sama'? Seriously?" She gasps out incredulously, giggling still. "Oh my god, you are so full of yourself aren't you?"

"I'm the youngest Captain in the Gotei 13," Toushiro starts. "I think I'm allowed to be slightly full of myself."

Rukia just shakes her head in disbelief, a wide grin on her lips. "Please know that my respect for you just went down the drain," she tells Toushiro solemnly.

.

.

.

* * *

><p>AN: Durhur. Toushiro is one smug little bastard.

Comments? Suggestions? Violent reactions?

Please leave a review. Seriously guys. As much as I like favorites and alerts as much as the next person, I actually love and want reviews.

Like. IDK. Just saying.

(I'm sorry if I sound mean. And needy.)


	9. interlude: what reinforcements?

Because we're all sort of wondering as to what the hell happened to Renji and Ichigo.

Or maybe it's just me. Anywhoo, enjoy!

**Title:** One Step at a Time  
><strong>Characters Pairing:** Hitsugaya Toushiro, Kuchiki Rukia; HitsuRuki  
><strong>Rating<strong>: K+ - T  
><strong>Warnings:<strong> OOCness, inconsistencies, language  
><strong>Summary:<strong> There are steps that they have to undertake as they fall in love. A series of mostly interrelated one-shots and what-nots and everything in between of the HitsuRuki Variety.

**Disclaimer:** I am but a poor college student. I own nothing.

* * *

><p><strong>[interlude]<strong>

_what reinforcements?_

.

.

.

"Mmmphgkg! Mmmtmgo! Mpfffkgnnsh!"

Matsumoto rolled her eyes scathingly, crossing her arms below her ample bosom before reaching over to none-too-gently rip the duct tape off of her captive's mouth.

"What the hell, Matsumoto-san?" Ichigo hollered hysterically as soon as his mouth was free; he struggled against the thick ropes binding him to the chair before glaring up fiercely at the voluptuous woman. "What's the deal?"

"What's the deal? You wanna know what the deal is? The deal is that you're attempting to sabotage my matchmaking!"

"—the fuck?" the orange-haired teen spluttered out incredulously. "You're matchmaking the midget with Toushiro?"

Matsumoto sniffed haughtily. "The Shinigami Women's Association has already staked their claim over this pairing and we are not going to let a couple of amateurs like you and Abarai mess with our operation."

"Wait. What did you do to Renji?"

The strawberry blonde Vice-Captain grinned rather evilly, her eyes glinting in malice. "Oh, he's having tea with the President."

"But isn't Yachiru the president?"

"Exactly."

"Poor guy."

.

.

.

* * *

><p>AN: In which the SWA gets involved and the saboteurs are taken care of.

Comments? Suggestions? Violent reactions?

Please leave a review!


	10. Step 6: In which Toushiro's got moves

**One Step at a Time**

Step 6  
><em>Flirting<em>

.

.

.

Hitsugaya Toushiro was something of an incurable brat, Rukia is steadily finding out the more she spends time with the admittedly infuriating Captain. Hell, he was even more of a brat than she was, and Rukia prided herself for being immensely bratty, seeing as it was the most effective way to annoy the heck out of Ichigo and Renji.

Anyway, Hitsugaya Toushiro was a brat and one of these days, Rukia was going to give him a piece of her mind.

.

.

.

"Can you please stop saying that?" She finally explodes one day as they are walking along the stern hallways of the 1st Division, the most torrid blush grazing her cheeks, making Toushiro's grin all the more smug.

"Saying what, Rukia?" Toushiro taunts cheekily, dancing out of the way as the girl makes to swipe at him. It was always so amusing to tease the girl; Kuchiki Rukia has an endearingly fiery temper and Toushiro is quickly discovering the novelty of being an overall annoyance. (He thinks absently that perhaps Matsumoto has a valid point for always being such a damn nuisance, it _was_ rather _fun_.)

"That!"

"I'm afraid you'll have to be more specific, Rukia."

"Stop saying my name so much!"

"Why?"

"Because—" Rukia stops, barely managing to clamp her mouth shut before she starts spouting embarrassing nonsense—like, _because you're making my heart beat incredibly faster when you say my name!_ Or something equally ridiculous— that will haunt her for the rest of her life. She's convinced herself sometime after she'd developed this friendship with the 10th Division Captain that she's abso-_fucking_-lutely fine with just being friends with him, but of course, the other side of her brain seems to think otherwise and fervently hopes for something that will probably never be.

"Because what, Rukia?"

Ugh, why did she like this bastard again?

"Shut up!"

"Oho, talking back to a superior officer, Rukia?"

"Ugh! Stop that!" She yells, horribly incensed.

Toushiro grins and leans in unspeakably close. So close that she can count his eyelashes if she decides to and so, so close that they are practically breathing the same air. "Make me."

And Rukia does, in the most unexpected way that Toushiro can think of. Not that he's complaining, of course, he's far from it actually.

She seals her lips firmly against his; effectively shutting down his twittering and subsequently opening up the dam of pent-up desires he's kept inside a tight-lidded jar on top of his heart. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he wonders if it is such a good idea to make out here, in one of the many corridors of the 1st Division where they would most likely get caught, but then Rukia mewls deliciously against his lips and all coherent thought flies out of his mind as quickly as Matsumoto can disappear at the mention of paperwork.

"Ahem."

_Ah, that would be the Captain-Commander_, his mind helpfully supplies, and then the raven-haired Vice-Captain of the 13th Division is hastily pulling away from him looking absolutely ravished.

"Y-Y-Yamamoto-soutaichou," Rukia squeaks, "I-I-I'm…um. Please excuse me!" She practically yells out, fleeing out of the scene.

Toushiro bites the insides of his cheeks and steals a look at the Captain-Commander, Ukitake, and Kyoraku who looked surprised and just a tad bit amused.

"I'm, ah, sorry, sir. That was my fault." He starts smoothly, "I provoked Kuchiki-fukutaichou and she was just—"

Yamamoto raises a wizened hand and a thick eyebrow, looking decidedly unimpressed.

"Shouldn't you be chasing after Kuchiki-fukutaichou instead of explaining to us, three old men?"

Toushiro blinks.

"Now shoo! You're lucky that Kuchiki-taichou decided to sit this meeting out."

.

.

.


	11. interlude: betting pool

Heya guys! Have a mini-update! I'll probably be in hiatus for this one for a while. I'm kinda immersed in another fandom right now and the inspirations for this has been sadly dwindling.

**Title:** One Step at a Time  
><strong>Characters Pairing:** Hitsugaya Toushiro, Kuchiki Rukia; HitsuRuki  
><strong>Rating<strong>: K+ - T  
><strong>Warnings:<strong> OOCness, inconsistencies, language  
><strong>Summary:<strong> There are steps that they have to undertake as they fall in love. A series of mostly interrelated one-shots and what-nots and everything in between of the HitsuRuki Variety.

**Disclaimer:** I am but a poor college student. I own nothing.

* * *

><p><strong>[interlude]<strong>

_betting pool_

.

.

.

"I believe I win," the Captain-Commander says as soon as Hitsugaya Toushiro disappears from view. Honestly, kids these days. The mighty leader of the Gotei 13 raises an open palm towards Shunsui who sighs piteously in response.

"Geez," Shunsui starts, digging through his uniform for his purse, "I thought he was going to wait for a while before making a move on the little Kuchiki. Shiro-chan's pretty quick."

Ukitake shakes his head incredulously, a small smile stretched on his lips as he watched Shunsui hand over a handful of coins to Yamamoto. "Byakuya is going to go ballistic when he finds out."

Shunsui chortles. "_Ballistic _is an understatement. Though I do wonder as to how long it would take for Byakuya to find out. It should be quite a sight, with all those Sakura petals hunting for Hitsugaya-taichou's blood."

"I believe Kuchiki-taichou will find out by the end of the week, perhaps even sooner." Yamamoto hums thoughtfully, leaving his former students behind as he proceeded to his office, a few coins richer thanks to Shunsui.

"Was that a challenge, Yama-jii?" The brown-haired Captain calls out, while Ukitake just laughs.

.

.

.

* * *

><p>AN: In which we have three, or rather, two old men staging bets. Byakuya is going to be pissed.

Loved it? Hated it?

Tell me about it.

Please leave a review!


	12. Step 7: In which Shirayuki is nonplussed

So. I'm still alive. Haha.

Just had four exams this week and I am beat. Gods, my brain can't take any more abuse and finals is just around the corner.

Here guys, have an epically short update.

**Title:** One Step at a Time  
><strong>Characters Pairing:** Hitsugaya Toushiro, Kuchiki Rukia; HitsuRuki  
><strong>Rating<strong>: K+ - T  
><strong>Warnings:<strong> OOCness, inconsistencies, language  
><strong>Summary:<strong> There are steps that they have to undertake as they fall in love. A series of mostly interrelated one-shots and what-nots and everything in between of the HitsuRuki Variety.

**Disclaimer:** I am but a poor college student. I own nothing.

* * *

><p><strong>One Step at a Time<strong>

Step 7

_Confusion_

.

.

.

"I kissed him!"

_Yes, Rukia. I know. _

"No! I don't think you understand, Shirayuki! I kissed him!"

…

"I kissed Hitsugaya Toushiro!"

_I get it. _

"I wanna die."

_What exactly is so bad about this? Isn't this what you wanted?_

"Yes! No. Just. Ugh."

_It would be nice if your answers aren't monosyllabic. And I have no idea what 'ugh' is supposed to mean._

"Shirayuki…"

_Rukia._

"I dunno. I told myself that I'm fine with just being friends and that was it."

_And you're sure that you're fine with that?_

"…no."

_Then stop sulking. _

"But—But what if he hates me now?"

_Honey, with that kind of kiss, I sincerely doubt that._

_._

_._

_._

* * *

><p>AN: Snarky Shirayuki is snarky.

Comments? Suggestions? Violent reactions?

Leave a review!


	13. Step 8: In which Hyourinmaru snarks

Because I am bored from all the studying. (Plant Anatomy sucks so hard.) And I'm too lazy to start the film review I'm supposed to be writing. Have another update.

It's as epically short as the last one. Perhaps even more so. And I'm sorry if you're expecting for a longer one.

**Title:** One Step at a Time  
><strong>Characters Pairing:** Hitsugaya Toushiro, Kuchiki Rukia; HitsuRuki  
><strong>Rating<strong>: K+ - T  
><strong>Warnings:<strong> OOCness, inconsistencies, language  
><strong>Summary:<strong> There are steps that they have to undertake as they fall in love. A series of mostly interrelated one-shots and what-nots and everything in between of the HitsuRuki Variety.

**Disclaimer:** I am but a poor college student. I own nothing.

* * *

><p><strong>One Step at a Time<strong>

Step 8

_Cowardice_

.

.

.

_You are a coward._

"I know."

_And an idiot._

"I know."

_You are a coward and an idiot._

"I know."

_Why aren't you following her?_

"I know—wait what?"

_Why aren't you following her? _

"…I can't."

_You can't?_

"I—I don't know how."

…

"She hates me."

_No, she doesn't._

"How would you know?"

_How would _you_ know?_

"Hyourinmaru!"

_Since when were you such a coward?_

"Ugh."

* * *

><p>AN: It's Hyourinmaru's time to snark.

The longer updates will be for next time. Don't worry. I don't intend for all of my chapters to be like this.

Comments? Suggestions? Violent reactions?

Leave me a review!


	14. interlude: divine intervention

Here guys, have an update.

**Title:** One Step at a Time  
><strong>Characters Pairing:** Hitsugaya Toushiro, Kuchiki Rukia; HitsuRuki  
><strong>Rating<strong>: K+ - T  
><strong>Warnings:<strong> OOCness, inconsistencies, language  
><strong>Summary:<strong> There are steps that they have to undertake as they fall in love. A series of mostly interrelated one-shots and what-nots and everything in between of the HitsuRuki Variety.

**Disclaimer:** I am but a poor college student. I own nothing.

* * *

><p><strong>[interlude]<strong>

divine intervention

.

.

.

"Good morning, taichou~!" Matsumoto practically beams and Toushiro just grumbles incoherently in response, wincing a bit as his Vice-Captain skipped towards him. Gods, Matsumoto's cheerfulness was _hurting_ him.

"It's already afternoon, Matsumoto." He says coldly.

"Geez, what crawled up in your ass and died?"

"Matsumoto."

"I'm kidding! But seriously though, lighten up, taichou! You're never going to get a girlfriend with that kind of attitude."

Toushiro visibly wilts.

"Anyways, I'll be taking the afternoon off—"

"What do you mean you're going to take the afternoon off? You just took the whole morning off!"

"But taichou! There's a Shinigami Women's Association meeting and we finally managed to get Rukia-chan to attend! I need to be there!"

Teal eyes blink rapidly as Toushiro tried to process what his nuisance of a Vice-Captain just said. "Rukia's going to be attending the meeting?" He asks before he can stop himself and Toushiro winces at his own stupidity.

Matsumoto was never going to let him live this down.

Ever.

But Matsumoto surprises him by just shrugging. "Yep, we're having the meeting at the 4th Division so if you need me or anything, _feel free to drop by_." The woman continued in a sickeningly-sweet tone that really should have alerted Toushiro that something devious was going on, but instead merely passed by his notice. "So, see ya later, taichou!"

"Er, yeah. Okay."

.

.

.

"Part one is a success," Matsumoto whispers into a small radio as soon as she went out of the 10th Division Office, leaving her Captain who had a blank expression on his face. "I think we can expect taichou to barge in during the meeting."

"Great job, Matsumoto-fukutaichou," Unohana's voice says cheerily. "Do hurry up, Ise-fukutaichou has finally managed to—ah—intercept Kuchiki-fukutaichou."

The buxom woman performs a mock salute before shunpoing off to the 4th Division.

.

.

.

* * *

><p>AN: The SWA makes its move.

Please review!


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